Remains found in Grand County identified as man missing for nearly nine months

GRAND COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — The remains of a man found along the Colorado River in San Juan County have been confirmed to belong to a man who was reported missing in June of last year.

The remains were found in

late March – nearly nine months after Raymond Ankofski and his wife, Maranda Anksofski, went missing near the Steel Bender Off-Road trail area. Maranda’s remains were found in late July 2024 and identified less than a week later.

The Grand County Sheriff’s Office said Raymond’s body was found a few months later along the Colorado River, about 37 miles away from where their UTV was found crashed and abandoned.

“At this time, the Ankofski family requests privacy as they grieve their loss,” The Sheriff’s Office said in a media release. “They also wish to thank the community and all law enforcement entities for their unwavering persistence in bringing them closure regarding their missing loved ones.”

The Grand County Sheriff’s Office also extended its gratitude to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, the Utah Department of Public Safety, and the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner for their help in locating, recovering, and identifying Raymond Ankofski.

No further details were made publicly available.